Custody assessment

In the UK the Childrens Acts replaced the terms "custody" and "access" with "residence" and "contact" sometime ago.

Children cases are mostly about common sense parenting rather than points of law. The courts are not looking for the better parent, just good enough parenting, the children's sense of security and maintaining established bonds. As others have said the children are at an age when their views will carry considerable weight.

Courts do not regularly refer to research. Many litigants in person find quoting studies and/or case law out of context has worked against them. Tenaciously holding onto notions of rights, equality and fairness may be perceived as not holding the child’s interests as paramount.

Further to Fiona's reply...

I'd suggest that 'residence' ought either to be shared between you and ex or that there be no residence order at all and the status qou is left as it is - if it aint broke why fix it. The rational being that both parents ought to regard each other as equal and the children ought to percieve that they have two equal and active parents in their lives. An outcome that gave sole residence to mum would be best avoided. There is a lot of information on the net regarding shared residence (which as Fiona states is different from shared parenting time) which might be helpful.

In respect to your parenting times. I'd agree with Sadie. Although you need a defined contact order and might be able to make progress on this via mediation, truth is the children themselves will increasinly dictate where they spend their time.

Hope this helps.